Window shade roller



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1962 Dec. 31, 1963 H. ZNAMIROWSKIWINDOW SHADE ROLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1962 mm mm wm Nn7/////////////////// x /%/r \Q United States Patent poration of MarylandFiled Sept. 25, 1962, Ser. No. 226,089 6 Claims. (U. 160-301) Thepresent invention relates to window shade rollers and the like and moreparticularly to the winding mechanism thereof.

The principal object of the present invention has been the provision ofa novel and improved window shade roller mechanism which is efficient inoperation and inexpensive from the standpoint of materials and laborrequired in the manufacture thereof.

More particularly it has been an object of the invention to provide sucha roller mechanism which is especially adapted to be made from plasticand metal parts but which is easy to assemble and which provides goodoperating characteristics.

A feature of the invention has been the provision of a flat metal platein place of the conventional wooden spring stick and a cooperating hubconstruction which avoids the tendency for the operating spring toreceive a permanent set due to the use of a flat spring stick.

Another feature of the invention has been the provision of a pawlsupporting housing construction which permits the use of plasticmaterials but which avoids the tendency for the pawl mounting pins to besheared off in service.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention willappear more fully from the following description of an illustrativeembodiment of the invention, taken in connection with the appendeddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a window shade roller assembly embodyingthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the window shade roller ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the window shade roller ofFIG. 1 taken in a plane at right angles to the view shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the construction of the hub and flangeportion of the ratchet and pawl housing.

Referring now to the drawings, the window shade roller of the inventioncomprises a hollow cylindrical roller 16, which is preferably made ofplastic and which carries in one end a spring motor mechanism 11 and inthe other end a suitable supporting pin construction 12. The roller mayhave affixed thereto in any suitable way a window shade or otherflexible web which is intended to be rolled onto and unrolled from theroller ill. The window shade, which is not shown, may be affixed to theroller 1% by adhesive, by staples or by other convenient fasteningmeans.

The supporting pin construction 12 comprises a hollow cylindricalhousing 13 which fits within an end of roller 10 and is held in positiontherein and caused to rotate with roller 16 by means of retaining pins14 and 15 acting in aligned holes in roller 10 and housing 13. The outerend of housing 13 is closed by a fiat integral face 16 from whichprojects supporting pin 17. Pin 17 is journalled for rotation in asuitable bracket 18 mounted at one side of the window frame or otherconvenient location as is well known in the art. Bracket 13 acts tosupport one end of the roller.

As is best shown in FIG. 1, the spring motor mechanism 11 comprises aretainer housing 19, a combination ratchet and gudgeon 20, a springstick 21, a pair of ratchet pawls 22 and 23, a ratchet and pawl housing24, and a shade spring 25.

Retainer housing 19 is generally cylindrical in shape with a centralaxially extending circular bore 26 adapted to receive and rotatablysupport a cylindrical surface 27 0f the combination ratchet and gudgeon20. The inner end of bore 26 is enlarged to accommodate the outer end ofratchet portion 28 of combination ratchet and gudgeon Zll. Forconvenience in describing the spring motor mechanism, the outer end willbe the left end in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the inner end will be the right endin FIGS. 2 and 3.

Housing 19 has an outer radially extending ring 29 the outside diameterof which is slightly greater than the internal diameter of roller 10 sothat the inner face of ring 29 contacts the adjacent radial end surfaceof roller 19. Ring 29 has an annular boss 30 surrounding bore 26.Housing 19 also has a radially extending inner ring 31 which fits withinroller 1i and which is spaced from ring '29 by the width of a circularslot 32.

As best shown in FIG. 3, housing 19 is held in place in the end ofroller 16 by pins 33 and 34 acting in aligned radially extending holesin roller 10 and ring 31.

Housing 19 is provided with a pair of circular holes 35 and 36 extendingaxially outwardly from the inner face of ring 31 on opposite sides ofbore 26. Housing 19 is also provided with a pair of thin narrow fingersextending axially inwardly from the inner face of ring 31 adjacent theperiphery thereof and on opposite sides of bore 26. Only one of thesefingers is visible in the drawings, this being the finger 37 shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. The fingers are provided with wedge shaped inner ends, asshown at 38, affording a radially extending locking surface 39. Housing19 is also provided with generally semicircular axially extendingrecesses 40 and 41 extending outwardly from the inner face of ring 31.

Combined ratchet and gudgeon 26 has the usual gudgeon or spear 42projecting outwardly from cylinder 27 and adapted to be received in andretained against rotation by a bracket 43 (FIG. 2). Bracket 43 may be ofthe usual type provided to support the spear end of a window shaderoller. Ratchet surface 2% is shaped to provide a plurality of radiallyextending circumferentially spaced pawl engaging tooth surfaces 44 ofwhich any desired number may be provided, although four spaced apartwill usually be satisfactory.

At its inner end the combined ratchet and gudgeon 20 is hollow and thewalls thereof are provided with a narrow axially extending slot 45 whichreceives and holds rigidly the outer end of spring stick 21.

Spring stick 21 is a flat plate, preferably made of metal, and has anarrow central tooth 46 projecting axially from the outer end thereof.An axially extending slot 47 is provided in the other end of springstick 21.

Ratchet and pawl housing 2 is in the form of a generally cylindricalwasher having a central bore 48 which accommodates a reduced diameterportion 49 of ratchet portion 28. The outer end of bore 48 is enlargedin diameter as shown at St to accommodate the inner ends of the ratchetteeth 44.

A pair of tapered pins 51 and 52 project axially outwardly from theouter radial face of housing 24 on opposite sides of bore 48. Uponassembly of the spring motor, the pins 51 and 52 extend into the holes35 and 36 of housing 19 and act to prevent relative rotation between thehousings 19 and 24. A pair of fingers 53 and 54 project axiallyoutwardly from the outer face of housing 24 on opposite sides of theperiphery thereof. Upon assembly of the spring motor, the outer ends ofthe fingers 53 and 54- contact the inner radial face of ring 31 andserve to maintain the spacing between the adjacent faces of housing 19and 24 by preventing these housings from coming together.

The periphery of housing 24 is provided with notches 55 and 56 which,upon assembly of the spring motor, permit the wedge-shaped ends of thefingers 37 to ride over the radial edges of housing 24 whereby thefinger locking surfaces 39 contact the inner radial surface of housing24 to lock housings l9 and 24 together. The fingers 37 are preferablysomewhat resilient to facilitate the snapping action required for thewedge-shaped ends of the fingers 37 to ride over the notches 55 and 56.

It will be evident that the fingers 53 and 54 serve as spacers tomaintain housings 1) and 24 axially spaced apart, while fingers 37 actas locks to prevent housings 19 and 24 from moving axially apart. Thelocking action can be overcome, as by inserting a screwdriver betweenhousings 19 and 24, thus permitting disassembly.

The pins 51 and 52 also act as pivot pins for ratchet pawls 23 and 22,respectively. For this purpose pawls 22 and 23 are provided withcircular holes 57 and 53, respectively, whose diameter is slightlygreater than the maximum diameter of pins 51 and 52. This permits thepawls to pivot freely about the pins 51 and 52.

The free ends of pawls 22 and 23 are notched, as shown at 59 and Gil,respectively, to provide ratchet engaging surfaces which are adapted toengage ratchet teeth 44- in the usual manner well known in the art tolimit rotation of the roller in a shade lifting direction. Since onlythe upper pawl will be active to limit roller rotation, one of the pawlsmay be omitted. Centrifugal force acts to permit substantial shademotion before the upper pawl engages the ratchet, as is well known inthe art.

The housings 19 and 24- and the combination ratchet and gudgeon 2d arepreferably made from any suitable relatively rigid plastic material. Thepins 51 and 52 are integral with the housing 24 and, since they arenecessarily of relatively small diameter, are likely to be sheared offif subjected to substantial shear stress. To avoid such a shear stressas would tend to break off the pins 51 and 52, the holes 57 and 53 aremade large enough so that when a pawl engages a ratchet tooth to lockthe roller against rotation, the pawl can move along the face of housing24 sufiiciently to contact the adjacent one of arcuate back-up surfaces61 and 62 of lugs 63 and 64, respectively. Lugs 63 and 64 are integralwith and project axially outwardly from the outer face of housing 24 andsurfaces at and 62 thereof are shaped to receive and support the roundedrear edges of pawls 22 and 23, respectively. Thus when a pawl engages aratchet tooth, the thrust exerted on the ratchet tooth is transmitted tothe adjacent one of lugs 63 and 64 rather than to the pins 51 or 52. Thelugs 63 and 64 can be made large enough so as to be able to Withstandthis thrust without danger of breaking.

A hub 65 projects axially inwardly from the inner face of housing 24 andis provided with a radially extending flange 66, the circumferentialextent of which is slightly less than 180. Flange on is axially spacedfrom the body of housing 24. The peripheral surface of hub 65 and theadjacent radial surfaces of the body portion of housing 24 and flange 66define a slot 6'7, the radial depth of which decreases in acircumferential direction from free end as of flange so to a point 69,as best shown in FIG. 4'. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional viewthrough the hub 65 and illustrates the relationship between hub 65 andflange 66.

Beyond point 69, hub 65 is provided with a radially extending slot 70which is adapted to accommodate a rolled end or eye 71 of spring 25. Toassemble spring 25 into the spring motor assembly, 2. rolled end or eye72 of spring 25 is placed in spring stick slot 47 and eye 71 is placedover hub 65 with the eye '71 resting at the entrance to slot 67, i.e.,adjacent free end 68 of flange 66. A simple turning motion of spring 25will cause eye '71 thereof to ride up slot 67 and fall into slot 76,thus locking the eye 71 of spring 25 onto hub 65.

It will be observed that contact between spring 25 and hub 65 imposes acurved shape on the adjacent portion of spring 25 thus preventing spring25 from being sharply bent'on spring stick 21. Were spring 25 merelywrapped around the flat spring stick without having the end wrappedaround the hub, the spring would tend to acquire a permanent set as thespring became tightly wound up during shade operation.

in operation, when the shade is pulled down, roller It) is rotated in acounterclockwise direction (FIG. 1), causing housings 19 and 24 torotate in a like direction. Since spring stick 21 is fixed againstrotation by engagement of gudgeon 42 in bracket 43, spring 25 will bewound up on spring stick 21 because end 72 of spring 25 is fixed to thespring stick while end 71 is locked to housing When downward motion ofthe shade is stopped, the upper pawl (23 in FIG. 1) will engage aratchet tooth to prevent spring 25 from rolling up the shade. A slightdownward pull on the shade followed by release thereof will permitspring 25 to rotate roller 10 in a clockwise direction (FIG. 1) wherebythe shade will be rolled up in the customary manner.

When the pawl engages the ratchet, the pawl is permitted to slidebackwards so that the corresponding lug will take the ratchet-p wlthrust, thus protecting the corresponding pawl pivot from shearstresses.

While the invention has been described in connection with a specificembodiment thereof and in a specific use, various modifications thereofwill occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1.An operating mechanism for window shade rollers and the like,comprising a hollow roller open at one end; a retainer housing mountedin said open end of said roller; means to affix said retainer housing tosaid roller whereby said retainer housing and said roller rotate inunison, said retainer housing having a central bearing surface; aratchet and gudgeon unit supported in said bearing surface of saidretainer housing, said unit having a gudgeon end projecting outwardly ofsaid roller and adapted to be supported in a fixed bracket, ratchetteeth means and a spring stick receiving slot; a fiat spring stickhaving one end held in said stick receiving slot and having a free end;an annular ratchet and pawl housing located within said roller andhaving a central opening accommodating said spring stick, said ratchetand pawl housing having a hub surface with a circumferentially extendingradially inclined slot having a deep entrance end and a shallow exitend, said hub surface having a radially extending recess locatedadjacent said exit end; means to join said housings whereby saidhousings are rotatable together as a unit; a coil spring surroundingsaid spring stick and having one end affixed to said free end of saidspring stick and having the other end in contact with said recess andsaid inclined slot whereby said other end of said spring rotates withsaid housing; and pawl means pivotally mounted on said ratchet and pawlhousing and arranged to engage said ratchet means to limit rotation ofsaid roller in one direction.

2. An operating mechanism for window shade rollers and the like,comprising a hollow cylindrical roller open at one end; an annularretainer housing mounted in said open end of said roller; means to affixsaid retainer housing to said roller whereby said retainer housing andsaid roller rotate in unison, said retainer housing having a centralbearing surface; a ratchet and gudgeon unit having a bearing surfacesupported in said bearing surface of said retainer housing, said unithaving a gudgeon end projecting outwardly of said roller and adapted tobe supported in a fixed bracket, a plurality of ratchet teeth and aspring stick receiving slot; a fiat spring stick having one end held insaid stick receiving slot and having a free end; an annular ratchet andpawl housing located with said roller and having a central openingaccommodating said spring stick, said ratchet and pawl housing having ahub with a circumferentially extending radially inclined slot having adeep entrance end and a shallow exit end, said hub having a radiallyextending recess located adjacent said exit end;

means to join said housings whereby said housings are rotatable togetheras a unit; a coil spring surrounding said spring stick and having oneend afiixed to said free end of said spring stick and having the otherend in contact with said recess and said inclined slot whereby saidother end of said spring rotates with said housing; and pawl meanspivotally mounted on said ratchet and pawl housing and arranged toengage said ratchet teeth to limit rotation of said roller in onedirection.

3. An operating mechanism for window shade rollers and the like,comprising a hollow cylindrical roller open at one end; an annularretainer housing mounted in said open end of said roller; means to aflixsaid retainer housing to said roller whereby said retainer housing andsaid roller rotate in unison, said retainer housing having a centralbearing surface; a ratchet and gudgeon unit having a bearing surfacesupported in said bearing surface of said retainer housing, said unithaving a gudgeon end projecting outwardly of said roller and adapted tobe supported in a fixed bracket, a plurality of ratchet teeth and aspring stick receiving slot; a flat spring stick having one end held insaid stick receiving slot and having a free end; an annular ratchet andpawl housing located in said roller and having a central openingaccommodating said spring stick, a pair of circumferentially spacedaxially extending pivot pins and a pair of axially extending backinglugs each located adjacent a respective one of said pivot pins, saidratchet and pawl housing having a hub with a circumferentially extendingradially inclined slot having a deep entrance end and a shallow exitend, said hub having a radially extending recess located adjacent saidexit end; releasable means to join said housings whereby said housingsare rotatable together as a unit; a coil spring surrounding said springstick and having one end aflixed to said free end of said spring stickand having the other end in contact with said recess and said inclinedslot whereby said other end of said spring rotates with said housing;and a pair of pawls each pivotally mounted on a respective one of saidpins and being arranged to engage said ratchet teeth to limit rotationof said roller in one direction, the mounting of said pawls on said pinspermitting sliding motion of said pawls into contact with a respectiveone of said backing lugs when the corresponding pawl engages a ratchettooth whereby said pivot pins are not subjected to substantial shearstresses.

4. An operating mechanism for window shade rollers and the like,comprising a hollow cylindrical roller open at one end; an annularretainer housing mounted in said open end of said roller; means to aflixsaid retainer housing to said roller whereby said retainer housing andsaid roller rotate in unison, said retainer housing having a centralbearing surface; a ratchet and gudgeon unit having a bearing surfacesupported in said bearing surface of said retainer housing, said unithaving a gudgeon end projecting outwardly of said roller and adapted tobe supported in a fixed bracket, a plurality of ratchet teeth and aspring stick receiving slot; a flat spring stick having one end held insaid stick receiving slot and having a free end; an annular ratchet andpawl housing located in said roller and having a central openingaccommodating said spring stick, an axially extending pivot pin and abacking lug spaced from but adjacent to said pivot pin, said ratchet andpawl housing having a hub with a circumferentially extending radiallyinclined slot having a deep entrance end and a shallow exit end, saidhub having a radially extending recess located adjacent 'said exit end;releasable means to join said huosings whereby said housings arerotatable together as a unit; a coil spring surrounding said springstick and having one end affixed to said free end of said spring stickand having the other end in contact with said recess and said inclinedslot whereby said other end of said spring rotates with said housing; apawl having a circular opening, said pawl being mounted on said pivotpin by means of said circular opening whereby said pawl is free to pivotinto engagement with a ratchet tooth to limit rotation of said roller inone direction, the diameter of said circular opening being greater thanthe diameter of said pin thereby to permit said pawl to contact said lugwhen said pawl engages a ratchet tooth to thereby prevent said pawl fromexerting any substantial shear stress on said pin.

5. An operating mechanism as set forth in claim 3 in which said pivotpins are tapered toward a pointed free end and in which said retainerhousing has a pair of slots aligned with and arranged to receive saidfree ends of said respective pivot pins.

6. An operating mechanism as set forth in claim 3 in which saidreleasable means comprises a pair of circumferentially spaced fingersprojecting axially from said retainer housing and each having a lockingend arranged to snap over a corresponding rim area of said ratchet andpawl housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS169,804 Hamblin Nov. 9, 1875 375,986 Briggs Jan. 3, 1888 2,427,298Morpeth Sept. 4, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 100,254 Australia Feb. 8, 1937458,684 Canada Aug. 2, 1949

1. AN OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WINDOW SHADE ROLLERS AND THE LIKE,COMPRISING A HOLLOW ROLLER OPEN AT ONE END; A RETAINER HOUSING MOUNTEDIN SAID OPEN END OF SAID ROLLER; MEANS TO AFFIX SAID RETAINER HOUSING TOSAID ROLLER WHEREBY SAID RETAINER HOUSING AND SAID ROLLER ROTATE INUNISON, SAID RETAINER HOUSING HAVING A CENTRAL BEARING SURFACE; ARATCHET AND GUDGEON UNIT SUPPORTED IN SAID BEARING SURFACE OF SAIDRETAINER HOUSING, SAID UNIT HAVING A GUDGEON END PROJECTING OUTWARDLY OFSAID ROLLER AND ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED IN A FIXED BRACKET, RATCHETTEETH MEANS AND A SPRING STICK RECEIVING SLOT; A FLAT SPRING STICKHAVING ONE END HELD IN SAID STICK RECEIVING SLOT AND HAVING A FREE END;AN ANNULAR RATCHET AND PAWL HOUSING LOCATED WITHIN SAID ROLLER ANDHAVING A CENTRAL OPENING ACCOMMODATING SAID SPRING STICK, SAID RATCHETAND PAWL HOUSING HAVING A HUB SURFACE WITH A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDINGRADIALLY INCLINED SLOT HAVING A DEEP ENTRANCE END AND A SHALLOW EXITEND, SAID HUB SURFACE HAVING A RADIALLY EXTENDING RECESS LOCATEDADJACENT SAID EXIT END; MEANS TO JOIN SAID HOUSINGS WHEREBY SAIDHOUSINGS ARE ROTATABLE TOGETHER AS A UNIT; A COIL SPRING SURROUNDINGSAID SPRING STICK AND HAVING ONE END AFFIXED TO SAID FREE END OF SAIDSPRING STICK AND HAVING THE OTHER END IN CONTACT WITH SAID RECESS ANDSAID INCLINED SLOT WHEREBY SAID OTHER END OF SAID SPRING ROTATES WITHSAID HOUSING; AND PAWL MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID RATCHET AND PAWLHOUSING AND ARRANGED TO ENGAGE SAID RATCHET MEANS TO LIMIT ROTATION OFSAID ROLLER IN ONE DIRECTION.